Protect Your Land
Across Central Algoma, many landowners have a deep connection to their land, caring for it, stewarding it, and ensuring it stays natural. But questions often arise: What will happen to this land in the future? Will it remain protected when I'm no longer here? That is where a land trust comes in. The Central Algoma Land Trust offers trusted, long-term solutions to help you ensure your land remains natural and cared for. Whether through donation, sale, or a conservation easement agreement, we work with you to find the best fit for your legacy.
Donating Land
If you are interested in leaving a lasting legacy for local land conservation and ensuring your land remains protected forever, you may choose to donate your property. Land donated directly to the Central Algoma Land Trust may be eligible for a charitable tax receipt based on its appraised value. Additional tax benefits may be available through the Ecological Gifts Program, and U.S. donors may receive tax benefits by donating through American Friends of Canadian Conservation
Ecological Gifts Program
The Government of Canada's Ecological Gifts Program can provide significant tax benefits for donating ecologically sensitive land. These benefits include the elimination of any taxable capital gains and a carry-forward period of ten years to claim the donation on your taxes. This program has helped protect thousands of hectares of land across Canada.
For detailed information about the Ecological Gifts Program, please read The Canadian Ecological Gifts Program Handbook.
American Friends of Canadian Conservation
Working as a U.S. land trust that has adopted the Standards and Practices of both the Land Trust Alliance of the US and Canada, American Friends of Canadian Conservation accepts donations of qualified conservation lands in ecologically important land in Canada from US taxpayers. This process is required in order to obtain a US charitable tax receipt for your donation. American Friends’ transactions always involve a Canadian partner organization. The Central Algoma Land Trust is a Canadian Partner of American Friends of Canadian Conservation. For more information about American Friends of Canadian Conservation, please visit their website here.
Donating a Remainder Interest in Land
An outright donation is not the only way to give land. You can continue to live on the land or use it by donating a remainder interest and retaining a reserved life estate. In this arrangement, you donate the land during your lifetime, but continue to live on and use the land. When you pass away (or sooner if you choose), we would have full title and control over the land. By donating a remainder interest, you can continue to enjoy your land and you may be eligible for a charitable deduction at the time when the interest is conveyed.
Donating Land by Will
If you wish to own and manage your land during their lifetime while ensuring its protection after passing, you may choose to leave it as a legacy gift in their will. We encourage anyone considering this option to get in touch with us to discuss the property, ensuring it aligns with the organization’s mission and long-term stewardship capacity. More information is available on the Legacy Circle page.
Selling Land
For those interested in having their land protected but unable to donate it, selling the property to Central Algoma Land Trust may be an option. As a non-profit, charitable organization, funding for land purchases is limited, but grant applications or special fundraising efforts may be possible if the land meets certain ecological criteria. Central Algoma Land Trust can only purchase land for up to its appraised value.
Split Receipting
If you sell land to the Central Algoma Land Trust for less than its appraised value, you may be eligible to receive a tax receipt for the difference between the purchase price and the appraised value. For example, if the land is appraised at $100,000 and sold to a land trust for $60,000, a tax receipt for $40,000 may be issued.
Right of First Refusal
If you would like the Central Algoma Land Trust to have the first opportunity to purchase your land while still considering other offers, you can grant us a right of first refusal. This means that we would be notified of any offer made by another party and would have the right, typically within a short time frame, to purchase the land at the same price offered.
A conservation easement agreement is a voluntary legal agreement between a landowner and a land trust that permanently restricts certain land uses to protect the property's conservation values. The landowner retains ownership and can still transfer the land at any time. For example, the agreement may prohibit building additional structures or harvesting natural resources while allowing activities such as growing crops or maintaining hiking trails. The terms of the easement are flexible, but will apply to all future owners of the property. Land protected with a conservation easement is not open to the public, it remains your private property.
The Central Algoma Land Trust can accept donations of conservation easement agreements, either directly or through the federal Ecological Gifts Program, and also has the ability to purchase them. U.S. taxpayers may also donate conservation easement agreements through American Friends of Canadian Conservation. To learn more about conservation easements, please read the Ontario Land Trust Alliance’s Conservation Easement Agreements: A Guide, Sample, and Notes for Ontario Land Trusts, Landowners, and Advisors here.
Conservation Easement Agreement
Are You Interested in Protecting Your Land?
If one of the above land protection options may be suitable for you, please contact the us for more information.
Phone: 705-782-2200
Email: info@calt.ca
In Person: 69 Boyer Drive, Desbarats, ON